Why is Watermelon Good for You?

Why is Watermelon Good for You?

4th of July Weekend is fast approaching and if your holiday is anything like mine, they’ll be a TON of watermelon on your picnic blanket.

Watermelon is usually thought to be watery, sugary, and lack real nutritional value. I’m here to tell you that’s NOT true.

Watermelon is very cleansing, alkalinizing, diuretic and mineralizing. It’s a very clean food–excellent for flushing out the kidney and bladder, taking out waste materials. And becuase the juice is easily digestible your body easily absorbs for all its minerals and nutrients.

Watermelon is also incredibly high in the two phytochemicals beta-carotene and lycopene (even more than tomatoes!).This combination prevents heart disease, prevents asthma, helps arthritis, prevents arteriosclerosis, and lowers the risk of many forms of cancer (including prostate, lung, colon, and bladder).

The rind of the watermelon is even better with tons of minerals and chlorophyll. So try to encorporate the rind into your recipes/juices if you can.

So besides just chopping up this juicy fruit and serving it as is (which is a fantastic idea), maybe you want to get fancy and try this lovely watermelon salad?

Mix oil, lime, salt and cayenne and mix evenly with greens. Top with watermelon and nuts. Garnish with lime zest and serve. Yumm.

(picture to come)

I also didn’t post this with enough time for a reaction, but I’d love if you checked out my healthy vegan spinach artichoke dip (no tofu, no sour cream, all good stuff) and give me your feedback! It’s a great 4th of July appetizer too.

And while I haven’t decided exactly what I’m bringing to the BBQ I plan on attending, I’m thinking some spicy hummus:

What are you making/bringing/hoping to see at your holiday BBQ? I’m going to a friends house and like everyone echoed after my birthday dinner post, I like to bring dishes so that I know there are foods there I feel good about eating.

Are you hosting, attending, or hanging low?

Is watermelon a summer staple for you too? Have you ever spiked it? I haven’t but I want to

Happy 4th!! A great day to count our blessings for the freedoms of our country–says the DC resident